The Internet has revolutionized the way that information is delivered and business is done. In June of 1999, Nielsen/NetRatings reported that there were a total of 63.4 million active Internet users in the United States, and 105.4 million total Internet users with Internet access. The average user spent 7 hours, 38 minutes on-line that month. Furthermore, user year-to-year growth rate is expected be in the range of 15% to 25% percent. Worldwide, it expected that there be greater than 250 million residential users, and greater than 200 million corporate users by the year 2005.
In the last few years, improvements in software and hardware have allowed the Internet to be used on a large scale for the transmission of audio and video. Such improvements include the availability of real-time streaming audio and video. Numerous media events are now “broadcast” live over the Internet, allowing users to see and hear speeches, music events, and other artistic performances. With further increases in speed, the Internet promises to be the primary method for transmitting and receiving multimedia information. Present real-time applications, however, are limited in their flexibility and usefulness. For example, many real-time audio and video application do not permit users to edit or otherwise manipulate the content. The art is in need of new systems and methods for expanding the usefulness and flexibility of multimedia information flow over electronic communication systems.